ISRAEL

Specialists from Israel in Zambia to help with cholera fight

Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Amos Chanda has anounced that a team of specialists from Israel has arrived in the Country to help with the Presidential initiative of dealing with the cholera problem which involves medium to long term interventions in high density populations.

Speaking when he addressed the press during the daily cholera emergency response meeting and briefings at Ndeke House this morning, Mr Chanda revealed that the main intervention from the specialists from israel would be the deployment of high technology to deal with water purification and treatment, with the overal objective being to deal with cholera in a comprehensive manner.

” This team comprises water Engineers and Epidemiologists. They are 5 of them . I gave them a brief and surrendered them to the Minister of Health. They have held briefings and gone on the ground to conduct tests and gather information about the epidemic.

This evening, I will be taking them to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of water so that he links them up with the technical staff at the Ministry,” Mr Chanda said.

And Mr Chanda stated that the technology and the treatment was meant to eliminate if possible, completely the bacteria that causes cholera.

“So this will be short term, Medium term and in the long term will provide technical advise and support that will help the government combat this problem. The technical advise will also include interventions for medium and long term to address sanitation problems especially in high density population areas, focusing on the areas where the epidemic is most serious,” he said.

And Mr Chanda clarified that this was not a government to government arrangement but a response to the Presidential initiative.

” Later on, it might become government to government. But for now,it is an initiative of sheba medical centre and Zambia boarder company, the owners of Kasumba Lesa Boarder post as a contribution to the broader response. This is just one major response and support coming from partners Sheba Medical centre, Zambia Boarder company and the Presidential initiative,” Mr Chanda clarified.